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There is a lot of misleading and incorrect information about Phoenix real estate short sales.

Many people don’t have a clear understanding of the purpose of short sales or how they actually work.

Essentially, a short sale is when one sells their home for less than the balance remaining on the mortgage attached to the property.

The proceeds from the sale are used to repay a pre-negotiated portion of the balance to settle the debt.

A short sale can be a solution for homeowners who really need to sell their home but owe more on the mortgage than the home is worth.

Understanding the short sale process can help make the most out of a real estate sale.

Here are some common myths and why they are false:

A short sale damages one’s credit record as much as foreclosure

In many cases a short sale is less damaging to your credit record than a foreclosure. Some lenders may think that the short seller acted in a more responsible manner than simply walking away from the property.

Although the amount paid may have been less than the mortgage balance outstanding, the loan was settled with the lender. Opting for foreclosure is often seen as a lack of responsibility.

To qualify for a short sale one must be behind on payments

This might have been true in the past, but it’s not anymore.

You just need to be able to prove that you are in financial hardship, which could be due to death in the family, divorce, job loss, mortgage rate hike or even loss of property value.

After a short sale you can’t buy again for five to seven years

This may be true in some cases, but not all. In certain situations the waiting period can be reduced as low as two or three years before you are allowed to purchase another home.

It would be wise to speak with licensed real estate professional or home financing specialist to get the most current options in the marketplace.

Pass it on

These are just a few examples of commonly believed short sale myths. A clear understanding of the short sale and the benefits it can provide is important for financially strapped homeowners.

Feel free to pass this important information on to someone that you feel would benefit from it.

San Diego, CA – November 14, 2012 – Jaime Partners, the San Diego-based, highly regarded and experienced project management company, is announcing the successful completion of Top Chef finalist’s new Searsucker restaurant located in Scottsdale, Arizona.

After successfully managing and completing the first Searsucker project in San Diego in 2010, Jaime Partners was hired as the project managers for the new Searsucker Scottsdale location, which officially opened to the public on October 25th, 2012. The 9,000 square foot restaurant’s Grand Opening took place on Saturday, November 10th, 2012.

As the program managers of Enlightened Hospitality Group (EHGRP), Jaime Partners provided design development and construction management services, completing the entire Searsucker project in six months. In addition, Jaime Partners worked with architect firm, Ocio Design Group and general contractor, West America Arizona, LLC, as the owners’ representative during construction. Services provided by Jaime Partners during the pre-construction phase included design team selection and management, code review, scheduling and cost estimation. Construction phase services included scheduling, contract controls, and management of general contractor and all other subcontractors involved.

“It was such an honor to be hired again by Enlightened Hospitality Group for the Searsucker Scottsdale build-out. Searsucker’s social dining concept quickly dominated the restaurant industry in San Diego, and we are confident that it will do the same in Arizona,” says Alfredo Jaime, partner and co-founder of Jaime Partners. “We never take our management services lightly, especially when it comes to working with the EHGRP team and bringing their powerful vision to life.”

In order to recreate Searsucker San Diego’s ‘new American classic’ concept and highly regarded atmosphere, the same artistic designer, Thomas Schoos, was brought on for the Scottsdale location, while the San Diego-based hospitality-development company, Enlightened Hospitality Group will operate both restaurant locations.

Searsucker Scottsdale is located at 6900 E. Camelback Road in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Jaime Partners’ project management services have been utilized for a number of Enlightened Hospitality Group restaurants in San Diego, including Searsucker, Herringbone, Gingham, Gabardine and Burlap.

Jaime Partners is the San Diego-based leading services provider for program, project and construction management services. With decades of combined experience in the development and construction of hospitality and food services projects. Founders, Alfredo Jaime and Rodolfo Farber, have made a name for themselves as leaders in local, regional and national hospitality projects. Jaime Partners offers clients’ program and project management services, as well as construction services that arise from extensive experience working as Owner’s representatives.

Jaime Partners has established itself as the premier advisory and consulting company in San Diego, with an extensive list of dedicated clients including Enlightened Hospitality Group restaurants’ Searsucker, Herringbone, Gingham, Gabardine and Burlap. Other projects that the partners have worked on include Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas, Pueblo Bonito Resorts in Cabo San Lucas and Alea Living in North Baja, just to name a few.

From the inception to the launch of a project, Jaime Partners breathes life into its clients’ vision for office, industrial, restaurant, retail and hospitality spaces – turning projects into real life masterpieces.

**REGULAR SALE** This Gorgeous Scottsdale home is a must see. Featuring over 2000 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bath, 2 car garage & in a central Scottsdale location. This move in ready home features two separate living rooms, laminate wood floors, a kitchen with all appliances, granite countertops, upgraded cabinets and a sit up breakfast bar & more… Enjoy the fully remodeled and enlarged master bedroom suite w/brand new bathroom & large walk-in closet. Step outside to an oversized backyard with huge covered patio, low maintenance artificial grass and a sparkling pebbletec diving pool (with removable fence). What a great location… Walk to Chaparral Park, playgrounds, the greenbelt and minutes from the 101 freeway and Old Town Scottsdale. Come check out this home you wont be disappointed

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Sales of newly-built homes took a small step lower in October, but remain strong.

According to the Commerce Department, New Home Sales slipped 1,000 units last month, falling to 368,000 units on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis.

The final reading fell short of Wall Street expectations, and the government revised downward its initial findings from August and September by 2,000 units and 20,000 units, respectively.

A “new” home is a home that is considered new construction.

Furthermore, the number of new homes for sale nationwide ticked higher to 147,000 — the highest reading in 9 months.

However, in taking a broader look at October’s New Home Sales report, we see obvious strengths. For example, although home sales slipped last month, it remains the third-highest tally since the April 2010 expiration of the federal home buyer tax credit.

The highest reading? Last month’s 369,000.

In addition, the national new home inventory has dropped, off 8% from last year. Fewer homes for sales has been a driving force behind rising home prices. As compared to one year ago, the median new home price is up nearly six percent. More demand for buyers is a factor, too.

At the current sales pace, the complete U.S. inventory of new homes for sale would “sell out” in 4.8 months. This is a noteworthy data point because, as analysts point out, a 6.0-month supply of homes marks a market in balance.

Today’s new homes market, therefore, is a seller’s market; one in which home builders may be gaining pricing power and negotiation leverage over buyers. It’s one reason why home builder confidence has climbed to a 5-year high.

For buyers of new construction, then, in Phoenix and nationwide, 2013 is a critical year. Home prices may rise and mortgage rates may, too. And, along the way, it may get tougher to get a “great deal” on new construction.

If you’re planning to buy, therefore, consider moving up your time frame. After October’s small step backward, the time to buy a newly-built home may be now.

According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Index, which was released earlier this week, U.S. home prices rose in September for the sixth straight month, climbing 0.3% as compared to the month prior.

On an annual basis, values are higher by 3.0%.

The Case-Shiller Index findings are a composite reading of 20 U.S cities, 17 of which showed home price gains in September. Detroit and Washington D.C. showed slight declines, and New York City showed no change.

Leading the recovery, though, appears to be Phoenix, Arizona. The previously hard-hit city has seen home values gain 20.4% over the last 12 months. Also noteworthy is that Atlanta, Georgia reversed 26 consecutive months of home value declines in September, posting a +0.1% annual growth rate.

On a month-over-month basis, value change by city varied. San Diego, California and Las Vegas, Nevada both posted gains of 1.4 percent from August, leading the Case-Shiller Index’s 20 tracked cities. Minneapolis, Minnesota and Phoenix showed gains of 1.1 percent.

Los Angeles, California rounded out the Top Five, posting a 1% gain month-over-month.

Despite the index’s strong findings, however, we should remember to temper our expectations. The Case-Shiller Index — like most home value trackers — is wildly flawed. Buyers in Mesa should follow its gospel with caution.

Here’s why.

First, the Case-Shiller Index tracks values for single-family homes only. As a result, it doesn’t account for multi-unit homes or for condos and co-ops. This is a big deal in cities such as Chicago and New York where high-rise units are common.

Another flaw in the Case-Shiller Index is that it’s 60 days delayed. It’s nearly December yet we’re still reviewing data from September. In housing market terms, September was a different market. Real-time data trumps data from last season.

That said, the long-term trends as shown by the Case-Shiller Index, are overwhelmingly positive. As a Case-Shiller Index spokesperson remarked, “It is safe to say we are now in the midst of a recovery in the housing market.”

Home value rose to close out the summer, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Index, a national home-valuation tracker.

Nationwide, values rose 0.9% between July and August 2012 with 19 of 20 tracked markets showing improvement. Only one tracked city — Seattle, Washington — showed a decrease, falling just 0.1 percent.

On an annual basis, 17 of the 20 Case-Shiller Index markets improved, led by Phoenix. Home values in the Arizona city areup 18.8 percent from August 2011. The next closest city in terms of home price gains is Detroit, Michigan at 7.6 percent

We should temper our excitement for the August Case-Shiller Index, however. Although it suggests an ongoing U.S. housing recovery, the methodology of the Case-Shiller Index is far-from-perfect. In fact, one could argue that the index is more effective for policy-makers than for actual buyers and sellers of real estate.

The Case-Shiller Index can be distorted by “discounted” home sales (e.g.; foreclosure, short sale).

The Case-Shiller Index publishes on a two-month delay — data is hardly current.

Beyond the above three points, however, the Case-Shiller Index falls short in another area — it ignores the basic tenet of housing that “all real estate is local”. In using 20 cities to represent the entire United States, the Case-Shiller Index reduces more than 3,100 municipalities into a single “market”.

Even within its 20 tracked cities, the Case-Shiller Index fails short as a housing market barometer. This is because — even with cities — home values vary. Some Mesa zip codes perform better than others, for example, as do some streets within desert ridge. The Case-Shiller Index can’t capture markets with that level of detail.

National housing data helps in spotting broader trends of growth but provides very little for today’s active buyers and sellers of real estate who need “real-time” data. For that, talk to a local real estate agent.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of new homes sold jumped to 389,000 units in September 2012 on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis.

Not since the expiration of the $8,000 federal home buyer tax credit in April 2010 have new homes sold at such volumes.

September’s tally marks a 5.7 percent increase from the month prior, and a 27 percent increase from September 2011. There are now just 145,000 new homes for sale nationwide and, according to the National Association of Homebuilders, buyer demand continues to grow.

At today’s pace of home sales, the entire U.S. inventory of new homes for sale would sell out in 4.5 months. By way of comparison, in January 2009, new home supply was 12.1 months.

When home supplies dip below 6.0 months, analysts say, it signifies a “seller’s market”; one in which sellers tend to benefit from negotiation leverage over buyers. The national New Home Supply has been below 6.0 months since October 2011.

Perhaps that’s one reason why the average new home sale price has climbed 14.5 percent over the past 12 months to $292,400; and why median new home sales prices have made a similar jump.

With builders reporting prospective buyer foot traffic at its highest level since 2006, home supplies are shrinking at a time when buyer demand is rising. Low mortgage rates and affordable housing choices contribute, too.

30-year fixed rate mortgage rates have been under 4 percent for all of 2012, and are now under 3.50% nationwide. Low rates make for low monthly payments but, like home prices, conditions can’t remain buyer-friendly forever.

For today’s home buyers of new construction, the outlook for finding “great deals” in 2013 may be grim. New home prices are expected to rise and supplies will continue to get scarce. The best homes in the new construction market, therefore, may be the ones you buy today.

By early-next year, low home prices may be gone, and low mortgage rates may be, too.

This contradiction occurred because Freddie Mac’s weekly mortgage rate survey is conducted Monday through Wednesday, and because the majority of the surveyed banks reply to Freddie Mac on Tuesday. As a consequence, Freddie Mac failed to capture this week’s mid-week movement that took mortgage bonds to a one-month worst.

This week, mortgage rates may rise again. There is a lot of news on which for Wall Street to trade, beginning with the week’s biggest story — the Federal Open Market Committee’s 2-day meeting scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

At the FOMC’s last meeting, the Federal Reserve introduced a third round of qualitative easing (QE3), a program through which the Fed will work to keep mortgage rates low until the economy’s recovery is more complete.

The Fed is expected to announce no new stimulus in this, its seventh of eight scheduled meetings for 2012, however, mortgage rates are typically volatile in the hours after the FOMC adjourns.

New housing data is set for release this week, too.

Wednesday, the U.S. Census Bureau will release September’s tally of New Home Sales. Given the recent strength in Housing Starts and rising confidence among the nation’s home builders, New Home Sales may best analyst calls for 385,000 new home sold last month on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis.

Strength in housing has recently correlated with rising mortgage rates.

The housing market’s forward-looking Pending Home Sales Index is released Thursday.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis, Single-Family Housing Starts rose to 603,000 last month, an 11 percent increase from the month prior and the highest reading in more than 4 years.

A “housing start” is a home on which construction has started and home builders are breaking ground at rates not seen even during the 2010 federal home buyer tax credit period.

It’s a signal to home buyers throughout Arizona that the U.S. housing market may be permanently off its bottom.

At least, the nation’s home builders seem to think so.

Earlier this week, the National Association of Homebuilders reported home builder confidence at a 5-year high and nearly triple the levels of last September.

Buoyed by rising sales volume and the heaviest foot traffic since 2006, builders expect the next 6 months of sales to outpace the current rate. It may spell higher home prices for today’s new construction buyer.

Thankfully, mortgage rates remain low.

As compared to last year, today’s buyers have extended purchasing power. Assuming a 20 percent downpayment and a conforming home loan :

September 2011 : A $1,000 mortgage payment afforded a purchase price of $202,000

September 2012 : A $1,000 mortgage payment afforded a purchase price of $226,000

That’s an 11.9% increase in purchasing power increase over just twelve months. When combined with today’s rising rents throughout many U.S. markets, demand for new construction homes remains high and builders have taken notice. Buyers should, too.

With mortgage rates low, low downpayment programs available and home prices poised to rise, it’s an opportune time to be a home buyer. Housing has been trending better since late-2011 and will likely carry that momentum forward into 2013.

If you’ve been shopping new construction, remember that as mortgage rates and home prices rise, home affordability drops.